Hi, I was about to update my DOSBox ECE installation (from the year 2019) which I never really began to use to the most current build. I had a look into the folder of my existing installation and saw the file "README for pixel-perfect patch.txt" there. That file isn't in the most current build's zip-file and indeed pixel-perfect scaling isn't mentioned anywhere even in the readme. So my question is did the pixel-perfect patch get removed in the meantime? If so, why? Is any substitute included in ECE but just not mentioned in the readme? How to get pixel perfect scaling now then?

ant22's pixel perfect patch (activated by using output=surfacepp) has been removed from ECE builds a while ago (around the time SVN started supporting glshaders, iirc)

Right now you have 3 alternatives:

1) approximate pixel-perfect results by using SVN/ECE with output=opengl and glshader=sharp
2) using this glshader which implements the pixel-perfect algorithm (using SVN/ECE with output=openglnb and glshader=pixel_perfect)
3) switch to dosbox-staging which has integrated pixel-perfect hardware-accelerated support (using output=openglpp or output=texturepp)

Delfino Furioso wrote on 2021-03-15, 17:07:

ant22's pixel perfect patch (activated by using output=surfacepp) has been removed from ECE builds a while ago (around the time […]
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ant22's pixel perfect patch (activated by using output=surfacepp) has been removed from ECE builds a while ago (around the time SVN started supporting glshaders, iirc)

Right now you have 3 alternatives:

1) approximate pixel-perfect results by using SVN/ECE with output=opengl and glshader=sharp
2) using this glshader which implements the pixel-perfect algorithm (using SVN/ECE with output=openglnb and glshader=pixel_perfect)
3) switch to dosbox-staging which has integrated pixel-perfect hardware-accelerated support (using output=openglpp or output=texturepp)

Yes, ant_222's pixel perfect patch has been removed from DOSBox ECE for some time, but then OpenGL shaders (sharp.glsl or pixel_perfect.glsl) become available. Meanwhile, I want to add that ant_222's OpenGL hardware-accelerated pixel perfect patch (output=openglpp) is now implemented and supported natively in both DOSBox-X and DOSBox Staging.

Thank you "Delfino Furioso" and "Wengier", perfect answers! I hadn't even catched the news that OpenGL shaders became available.

Delfino Furioso wrote on 2021-02-11, 11:58:

SVN is approaching r4444

please yesterplay, do whatever it takes to release an ECE build based on that...

my OCD demands it! ;D

Here's one for your OCD! 😉

ahahahaha <3

Hi everyone!

I installed DOSBox ECE r4444 today. To record one of my games, I pressed CTRL-ALT-F5, and as a result the sound of the game became really distorted. I pressed CTRL-ALT-F5 again to stop recording, and the sound normalized.

To investigate, I reinstalled the previous release I've been using, which was DOSBox ECE r4358. I pressed CTRL-ALT-F5 as usual, and the sound was perfect as usual.

Something odd happened between r4358 and r4444.

Any clues?

If this is an unknown bug, I can start investigating it using the interval halving method, to find in which release the problem first appeared.

Cheers

I just tried and you're right. But the same happens with regular SVN, so it doesn't seem to be a problem caused by ECE. Could you try that version as well, please?

Possibly r4408 would be the origin.

It's possible. I might have missed a calculation spot

Edit: Think I found the reason. Now lets see what the proper solution is.

Please give 4445 a try

Sorry, probably a very noob question that was answered many times before, but I not found on a website much documentation on how properly use enhancements and more about config file new features. I know something about some but fear I might do something wrong. And also, I'd want to use it with the DosBox game launcher, but of course, its GUI is not utilized new features, right?
For example, where to put soundfond for fluidsynth so it can find them?

@Khvostik I can only give you a quick hint which is to just look into your dosbox-ECE.conf file since in there you can not only set all those options but they are also explained roughly. I'm sure someone else with more knowledge will reply in more detail and answer your other questions.

@villeneuve sorry for even dumber question, but where is original config file? It is not in the download.

Khvostik wrote on 2021-04-13, 22:34:

@villeneuve sorry for even dumber question, but where is original config file? It is not in the download.

I think it is supposed to auto generate dosbox.conf when you run it?

If not, I think you can force a config by typing "config -wcd"

Sorry if that's not correct, I can't find very much documentation. Strange, one would think a simple command like that would be on the wiki.

7F20 wrote on 2021-04-14, 01:41:

Strange, one would think a simple command like that would be on the wiki.

Hmm, perhaps the file named README that is distributed with DOSBox holds the information...

Qbix wrote on 2021-04-13, 09:30:

Please give 4445 a try

I did (only shortly though) and it got much better, but stuttering still occurs, especially after starting the recording. After a while it happens less often, but still stutters from, time to time.

Yesterplay80 wrote on 2021-04-14, 07:17:

Qbix wrote on 2021-04-13, 09:30:

Please give 4445 a try

I did (only shortly though) and it got much better, but stuttering still occurs, especially after starting the recording. After a while it happens less often, but still stutters from, time to time.

Thanks for trying!
Stuttering is not that unlogical when recording, as the priority switches to having a good recording.

but is it worse than in the older builds (before 4408) or of a similar level ?
I can see if I can improve it, but first need to know if I got it back to the old level or if it is still worse than before

Oh, yea, thank you, I found it, I create a .conf file in the AppData folder. Was a bit confused, it'd be awesome maybe if the .conf file would be right in the download? And README was for standard DOSBox, so I was not bothered to read it duh. Thank you for your answers
Hmm, interesting, so fluidsynth doesn't work with CrisisGeneralMIDI301.sf2 SoundFont... and can't find instruments for in-game flight in "Air Power Battle in the Skies"... but well, this is probably questions for another topic.

Qbix wrote on 2021-04-14, 07:34:

but is it worse than in the older builds (before 4408) or of a similar level ?
I can see if I can improve it, but first need to know if I got it back to the old level or if it is still worse than before

I tried it with r4393, which was the last build I made before r4408. And again with r4445. I couldn't make out a difference, so it seems to be on the same level as pre-r4408 builds.